NATO staff commander hosted by Georgian officials, commanders

Georgia’s defence officials and military commanders hosted Lieutenant General Jan Broeks, Director General of the NATO International Military Staff this week, for talks and meetings on cooperation between the alliance and the country.

The high-ranking official of the alliance was received by the Minister of Defence of Georgia Levan Izoria, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Colonel Nikoloz Janjgava and other military commanders in series of meetings.

Briefed about defence reforms, prospective plans and ongoing security challenges for Georgia, the visiting official reviewed subjects such as the participation of over 870 Georgian service members in NATO’s Resolute Support peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.

#NATO#DGIMS, LGen Broeks met w/ DCHoD, Col Janjgava. Discussions focused on ongoing defence reforms & Total Defence Approach. "I am really impressed by this top-to-bottom approach . This is the way to ensure a whole-of-nation engagement & the effective use of resources” pic.twitter.com/WNjpxaFgbu

— NATO_PASCAD (@NATO_PASCAD) April 25, 2018

Following his acquaintance with reforms and efforts for a new systemic defence approach in Georgia, Broeks told reporters he was "impressed” with the developments in the country.

The NATO general Broeks also presented a talk about the alliance and its partner countries at the defence ministry’s Army Hall venue.

His audience included ministry officials, service members, diplomatic corps, foreign advisors of the ministry and non-governmental organisation representatives.

The NATO commander led a talk about NATO and partner countries in Tbilisi. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Georgia press office.

As part of his agenda Broeks paid a visit to Georgia and NATO’s Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, where Colonel Grigol Tchelidze, head of the centre, held a briefing about the institution’s work for the visitor.

Tchelidze also informed Broeks about ongoing preparatory work for next year’s NATO-Georgia joint defence exercise, before the JTEC event concluded the Lieutenant General’s trip to Georgia.